Android Studio Download and Android SDK Setup steps for Flutter Development

If you want Flutter Android builds to work smoothly (debug APK, release AAB, emulator/device testing), you need two things set up correctly:

1. Android Studio download + install (easiest way to get everything)
2. Android SDK download and setup (SDK Platforms, Build-Tools, Platform-Tools, Command-line Tools)

Why Android Studio is needed for Flutter Android development

Flutter can run on Android only when your system has:

• Android SDK (platforms + build tools)
• ADB / Platform-Tools (for device connection and debugging)
• Java tooling (Android Studio bundles a compatible JDK in modern versions)
• Licenses accepted so Gradle can build without errors (Flutter checks this)

Before you start: Minimum system requirements (recommended)

Android Studio is heavy. For a smooth experience:

• 8 GB RAM minimum (16 GB+ recommended if you use Emulator)
• 64-bit Windows/macOS/Linux supported
• CPU virtualization enabled if you plan to use the Android Emulator

Step 1: Android Studio download (official and safest method)

Official download page

Use the official Android Studio site and install page:

• Android Studio download page
• Official install instructions + system requirements

Which version should you download?

• For most Flutter developers, install the latest Stable channel.
• If you are debugging a specific tooling issue, you can also access the archive/preview downloads.

Step 2: Install Android Studio (Windows / macOS / Linux)

Windows (quick steps)

1. Run the installer you downloaded from the official page.
2. Keep these selected:
   • Android Studio
   • Android SDK
   • Android Virtual Device (optional but recommended)
3. Finish installation and launch Android Studio

macOS (quick steps)

1. Download the macOS package from the official page.
2. Drag Android Studio into Applications.
3. Launch Android Studio.

Linux (quick steps)

1. Download Linux package from official site.
2. Extract and run studio.sh (Android’s install page includes guidance).

https //developer.android.com/studio

Step 3: Android SDK download and setup (inside Android Studio)

This is the most important part for Flutter Android builds.

Open SDK Manager

In Android Studio:

• Go to Tools → SDK Manager

SDK Platforms (install at least one)

Inside SDK Platforms tab:

• Install latest stable Android SDK Platform (recommended)
• You can also install a specific API level if your project requires it

Flutter’s official Android setup docs also point you to install required SDK components and then accept licenses.

SDK Tools (must-have list for Flutter)

Inside SDK Tools tab, ensure these are installed:

Must-have:

• Android SDK Platform-Tools (includes adb)
• Android SDK Build-Tools (required for building Android apps)
• Android SDK Command-line Tools (latest) (helps with sdkmanager / licenses / tooling)

Recommended:

• Android Emulator (if you want emulator testing)
• Google USB Driver (Windows only, for some devices)

Click Apply to install.

Step 4: Set ANDROID_HOME / ANDROID_SDK_ROOT (recommended)

Flutter can often detect SDK automatically, but setting the environment variables makes your setup stable across terminals, CI, and editors.

Find your SDK path

In Android Studio:

• SDK Manager shows Android SDK Location at the top.

Common defaults:

• Windows: C:\Users\<YourUser>\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk
• macOS: /Users/<YourUser>/Library/Android/sdk
• Linux: /home/<YourUser>/Android/Sdk

Windows environment variables

Set:

• ANDROID_SDK_ROOT = your SDK path
  Add to Path:
• %ANDROID_SDK_ROOT%\platform-tools
• %ANDROID_SDK_ROOT%\cmdline-tools\latest\bin (if present)
• %ANDROID_SDK_ROOT%\tools\bin (older setups)

macOS / Linux (zsh/bash)

Add to ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc:

export ANDROID_SDK_ROOT="$HOME/Library/Android/sdk"   # macOS default
# export ANDROID_SDK_ROOT="$HOME/Android/Sdk"        # Linux defaultexport PATH="$PATH:$ANDROID_SDK_ROOT/platform-tools"
export PATH="$PATH:$ANDROID_SDK_ROOT/cmdline-tools/latest/bin"

Restart terminal after saving.

Step 5: Accept Android SDK licenses (Flutter requirement)

Run:

flutter doctor --android-licenses

Accept all prompts. This is explicitly recommended in Flutter’s Android setup docs.

Then verify:

flutter doctor

Read Articles: Flutter Doctor command — What is flutter doctor

Step 6: Install Flutter plugin in Android Studio (recommended workflow)

To build and run Flutter easily inside Android Studio, install the Flutter plugin:

Android Studio → Settings/Preferences → Plugins → Marketplace → search Flutter → Install → Restart

Like This:

Step 7: Create an Emulator (optional but recommended)

If you want emulator testing:

1. Android Studio → Device Manager
2. Create Virtual Device
3. Choose a device + system image
4. Ensure virtualization/hardware acceleration is enabled for best speed

Common errors and fixes (Flutter Android setup)

1) “sdkmanager tool not found”

Fix:

• Install Android SDK Command-line Tools (latest) from SDK Tools
• Ensure cmdline-tools/latest/bin is in PATH
  Flutter troubleshooting mentions using SDK Manager to install cmdline-tools/build-tools/platforms.

2) “Android licenses not accepted”

Fix:

flutter doctor --android-licenses

3) Gradle build fails after installing SDK

Checklist:

• Install Build-Tools and at least one SDK Platform
• Confirm SDK path detected in flutter doctor
• Update Android Studio + SDK tools (Tools → SDK Manager)

Best practice setup for ranking + real-world development stability

If you want fewer build issues across projects:

• Keep Android Studio updated (stable channel)
• Always keep these updated in SDK Tools:
  • Platform-Tools (adb)
  • Build-Tools
  • Command-line Tools

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FAQ: Android Studio download and Android SDK setup for Flutter Development in 2026